


La Grande Bibliothèque d'Orlais

by anoncanon



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-29
Updated: 2014-12-29
Packaged: 2018-03-04 05:11:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2953568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anoncanon/pseuds/anoncanon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In answer to this prompt from the Dragon Age Kink Meme</p>
<p>"This is a library! You aren't supposed to be doing <b>that</b>!<br/>But they areeee."</p>
<p>(author's note: probably <b>not at all</b> what the original poster of the prompt had in mind, but I couldn't have it otherwise, personally :D )</p>
            </blockquote>





	La Grande Bibliothèque d'Orlais

“Why won’t you tell me where we’re going?” the man in the white coat asked.

The other man sighed. “I told you, it would defeat the idea that it’s a _surprise_ ,” he answered.

“I don’t like surprises,” the first man said, “what if… what if--”

“You don’t like it?” The second man stopped walking. “Dorian, give me a chance. If you don’t like it, we don’t have to go. We can just leave. Go back to our rooms or leave for Skyhold or do whatever you want.”

“No, it’s not that,” Dorian said, his voice low. “it’s-- nevermind. Where is this surprise of yours? Let’s get this over with.”

“Such enthusiasm,” the other man replied. “It’s just around here…”

They walked to the corner he had just indicated and turned into a new alley. They came face to face with a monumental building sporting lion statues and magnificent draperies in the colors of the Valmont family. It had intricately sculpted doors, made with various rare metals and woods.

“My dear Dorian, the _Grande Bibliothèque d’Orlais_ ,” the man said as he bowed and gestured toward the building.

“I know what this structure is, Inquisitor; what I fail to understand is how it’s a surprise. It’s been there for decades and if I remember right, the library is closed, isn’t it?” Dorian asked, frowning.

“Not today, not for us. Come!” the Inquisitor replied cheerfully, walking toward the gates with Dorian in tow. He saluted the guard, who started when he recognized the Inquisitor and promptly opened the door in the gates for them.

They strode across the yard to the main doors of the library. An elderly man was waiting there.

“My Lord Inquisitor!” he called to them.

“Ah, Scholar Talbot, thank you so much for greeting us!” the Inquisitor said as he shook the man’s hand.

“The pleasure is all mine, my Lord. The main doors are locked shut, you’ll have to use the staff’s entrance,” the old man said, “but everything else should be fine. The library is completely unstaffed at the moment and the workers are on break today.”

They reached a smaller, more nondescript door and the scholar opened it with a key hanging from a chain around his wrist.

“I need to warn you,” he went on, “there is a reception going on in the hall right next to the library’s main room. The doors connecting both spaces cut off most of the sounds, so hopefully it won’t bother you much during your research. I hope the _Bibliothèque_ possesses the knowledge you seek, we’d be honored to help the Inquisition.”

“We are thankful for your help and for letting us in here today,” the Inquisitor said with a small bow.

The scholar stopped in front of a small door. “This is my office, the library is at the end of the corridor,” he motioned to their left, “come see me before you leave so I can close everything up.”

The Inquisitor bowed again and the old man went in his office, closing the door after him. The two remaining men started walking toward the library.

“So we are here to work, I gather,” Dorian said, not hiding the annoyance in his voice.

“What?” the Inquisitor’s tone dropped to a whisper. “No, of course not. I had to tell them something to get in here, but this is meant to be… like a date. Or something.”

“Your idea of a proper romantic appointment is to bring the subject of your affections to a smelly, damp library full of old books and dust? No ridiculously expensive restaurants, no fancy gifts, no carriage ride?” Dorian asked.

“Since my guest spends most of his time in Skyhold’s tiny library, head deep in the books,” the Inquisitor replied, “I thought he might appreciate spending some time in a much bigger library. I figured if we spent this time together, it might be even more enjoyable…” He looked at Dorian, unsure. “We can leave, if you’d prefer that…”

“Don’t be absurd,” the Tevinter replied, beaming, “it’s _perfect_.”

They reached the end of the corridor and entered the library’s main room. It was a vast rectangular room, with high ceilings. Lanes of bookshelves filled the room, each bookshelf about twelve feet high and full of books. There was an area at the center with tables and candles, parchments, pens and inkwells. Another part of the room was closed off, apparently for repairs.

The corridor had led them to a small balcony overlooking the room and they made their way down the short set of stairs.

“So many books,” Dorian said cheerfully, “where do we start?” He walked in the first lane and started reading the spines, often pulling a book out when its title wasn’t written on the spine.

The Inquisitor started checking the books on the other side of the same lane.

“Ah! _The Strange Visits_ by Brother Corin, did you happen to read that one?” Dorian asked as he pulled a book from the shelf. He handed it to the Inquisitor.

“No need to show me that one, I know quite well what it contains…” the Inquisitor said, not even looking at the proffered book.

Dorian chuckled, putting the book back in its slot. “Fine then, it always makes for a good prank but apparently someone got you before me-- Oh! We don’t have those at Skyhold!”

He climbed a few steps on the bookshelf’s ladder to check a set of books up close.

“I need a book cart,” Dorian stated, quite taken by his find.

“Let me,” the Inquisitor said with a broad smile, before exiting the lane in search of a book cart.

\--

 

They had sat down at one of the worktables. Dorian had three books open in an arc in front of him, one of them propped on closed books. The cart was next to him, quite filled with yet more books. He had taken a piece of parchment and it was now filled with notes and scribbles. The Inquisitor had a very modest pile of two books in front of him, not counting the one he was currently reading from.

Scholar Talbot had come to see them only once, to bring them food and something to drink.

Dorian reached for a blank piece of parchment, the movement causing the two men to exchange a glance.

“You know, this library doesn’t smell at all. And it’s not even damp,” the Inquisitor whispered, smiling.

“I know! I haven’t found a single moldy book yet! Unbelievable!” Dorian replied, keeping his voice low. “Though, not as unbelievable as the hypotheses in this tome… This author is an absolute fraud, I--”

He was interrupted by a loud creaking sound.

“The scholar..?” Dorian mouthed silently.

There was a giggle. A very feminine, high-pitched giggle.

“Probably not,” the Inquisitor whispered back.

The woman giggled again and they heard a muted bump. They both frowned. Another voice sounded out, not loud enough to be understandable, but unmistakably that of a man. There was another bump, followed by a high-pitched moan.

“Do you think--” Dorian started. The Inquisitor just nodded.

The woman mewled.

“But this is a _library_!” Dorian whispered, shocked. “Have they no sha--”

The couple interrupted him again with an outburst of sounds. The bumping became a clumsy rhythm.

The Inquisitor gestured to Dorian to stay there as he silently got up and moved closer to the nearest lane, taking an angled peek at the couple. He noiselessly got back to his seat.

“I saw a lot of shiny fabric and fancy shoes,” he whispered. “Probably nobles from the reception…”

“Did you see which lane it was? I wonder which books are being… _defiled_ ,” Dorian asked.

“You’re gonna like this; it’s the lane with all the Chantry books you despise so much,” The Inquisitor whispered back.

Dorian snickered, “How _blasphemous_!”

The awkward bumping sped up and the man started grunting.

“This is _ridiculous_!” Dorian whispered. He tried to get back to his books regardless, picking one from the cart.

The woman added small cries to the grunts.

“If we have any luck, it should end soon...” the Inquisitor commented.

Except it stretched on. The noises escalated, they even heard a book fall from the shelf and hit the floor.

“It just doesn’t… _conclude_ ,” the Inquisitor said, trying to contain his laughter.

“This is-- it’s just--” Dorian tried, annoyed. “ _Venhedis_!,” he exclaimed loudly as he suddenly got up from his chair, slamming the book he was holding on the table. “Be done with it!”

The woman squealed and there was a loud thump, followed by rushed footsteps. They heard the creaking again but the couple was less careful this time and nearly slammed the door shut.

The Inquisitor burst out laughing.

Dorian slowly sat back down. “Can you believe those--” he began, but couldn’t quite finish as he started laughing as well.

“I’ll go and make sure that door is locked,” the Inquisitor said, wiping tears from his eyes.

\--

 

It was night when they left the library.

Dorian was talking animatedly, gesturing with his roll of notes in his hand. “...and according to this other author, it would actually be _the other way around_. Which, just like that, doesn’t seem to make sense unless you account for the fact that-- you don’t care.” He laughed. “I’m sorry,” he added, “I tend to forget that not everyone is as _smart_ as I am.”

The Inquisitor looked at him, pretending to be offended. “You have one thing right though,” he said, “you are smart. And quite the bookworm. I take it you had a great time today?”

“I did. Thank you,” Dorian replied with a genuine smile. “That couple who _assumed_ they could have their tryst in the library though…” He shook his head.

“You’d never do it in a library?” the Inquisitor asked.

“What, sex? I couldn’t. It would feel like I’m disrespecting my first, true love,” Dorian replied.

“Books?” the other man inquired.

Dorian nodded, “And knowledge.”

“Mh, tough competition,” the Inquisitor commented with a grin.

“If today is any indication of the future, I’d say you have a fair shot at -close second-,” Dorian replied, his voice low. He cleared his throat, “I could really go for some food, right now. I’m famished! I know just the place--”

He took the lead, steering them in the streets of Val Royeaux.


End file.
